Henderson, Nevada (CNN) – With the high-risk, high-reward debate season finally behind him, Mitt Romney projected an air of sunny confidence Tuesday, telling supporters the head-to-head match-ups with President Obama had "super-charged" his campaign.

"There's no question about it, we're seeing more and more enthusiasm, more and more support," after a series of widely-watched televised debates with the president, Romney told a cheering audience of about 6,000 outside Las Vegas.

The GOP presidential nominee, who turned his campaign's summer doldrums into a surge in the polls following his first debate performance in early October, renewed his attack on Obama over the president's second-term agenda.

"He's been reduced to try to defend characters on Sesame Street and word games of various kinds, and then misfired attacks after one and another," Romney said. "You know the truth is that attacks on me are not an agenda."

Romney told the audience that after four debates, including a vice presidential sit-down, "we haven't heard an agenda from the president and that's why his campaign is taking on water and our campaign is full steam ahead."

Romney wrapped up his third debate with the president – this time focused on foreign policy – on Monday night. A CNN instant poll showed debate watchers gave Obama the edge in that meet-up, and Democrats quickly pointed to the areas in which Romney had seemed to agree with the president's policies.

A Romney senior adviser conceded there were some areas of agreement, but pointed to Romney's stance on China and on modernizing the Navy as standing out.

"Where there were differences in opinion and differences in policy, he did point them out," said Romney adviser Kevin Madden.

Still, the campaign clearly felt Romney had scored points with his debate-night criticism of the president's second-term agenda. Madden said the Obama campaign had punched "a glossy panic button" Tuesday morning when it released booklet of the president's policy proposals for the next four years.

In Henderson at the first of two joint rallies Tuesday, Romney's running mate Paul Ryan echoed the campaign's confident demeanor, telling the cheering audience of the president: "in 2 weeks from today, he is going to become former President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney is going to be the next President of the United States."

Then both Romney and Ryan repeatedly urged the Nevada audience to vote early. Polls show a tight race in Nevada, with Obama holding a slight edge.

President Obama planned to rally an audience in Las Vegas the following night.

soundoff(59 Responses)

ALI

MESSAGE
THE PAIN OF CHANGE
This is the toughest and most challenging de- motivator for many people, groups, businesses, states and nations. I HOPE WE ALL WILL MAKE THE SPECIAL EFFORT TO CONQUER IT.
Why does change always seem to involve pain? We resist change because it means that part of our old self must die, and that an unknown new self will be born. We grieve the loss of the familiar as we labor through the painful birth of the new life. It all seems so primitive.
We resist change because we almost instinctively believe that changing and aging are somehow linked. If we could just stop change, we could stay young, runs this desperate and touchingly human hope. You see this futile hope in people young and old who wear the styles of five or twenty-five years ago, who hold onto the manners and viewpoints of yesteryear, who stubbornly cling to methods that were effective in a time gone by.
There is a place for nostalgia in our lives. It can be comforting and fun. But even antique dealers have to keep up with the times to stay in business. Meanwhile, the inevitable forces of change are modifying how it is by making that way unprofitable and phasing out those who are not changing. We can fight the forces of change and win some victories against it- but we can’t win the war. In the end, we change or lose.
Success avoids fights it can’t win. Instead of fighting an unbeatable force, success uses it to win victories. Real Success adores change.
We are now overdue for change. Excess has exceeded all limits and crossed the Red line.
It is time to conquer your fear and LEAN FORWARD WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA for four more years.

Yea!!! Supercharged with shifting positions, Empty promises and flat out lies. If we can trust them in little things, how can were! Trust them in big things?

October 24, 2012 02:49 am at 2:49 am |

Edom Meshesha

I just want to say how i am so disappointed with the American people. I just don't understand how people are so hatred and racist. These have influenced the country so much that they can't analyze the whole idea. It is simple; Robme doesn't have any new plan. Agree with the president with most of the stuff. He is acting like a CEO that is all he is. American people walk up. The president plan worked, economy is getting better slowly but surely. Do we need war; Mitt Robme is proposing to have another war. And America I will sure you if you choose Robme there will be war. I guaranty you. Everything is working under Obama, he fight for the people, for the middle class and most of for Women. Please look at the facts and make a decision, because i have and it is The President 2012.

October 24, 2012 03:01 am at 3:01 am |

stevensj64

I agree. After the highly effective Democrat Convention – in particular President Clinton's brilliant speech & the farcical Republican Convention President Obama was starting to pull away. But one effective debate performance has tightened things up.
Ultimately though, I believe that one debate performance does not a President make & I predict that President Obama will be re-elected with around 299 votes in the Electoral College & a narrow victory in the popular vote.

October 24, 2012 03:04 am at 3:04 am |

ashley

Romney 2012!

October 24, 2012 03:16 am at 3:16 am |

Adam

Romney says a lot of things!

October 24, 2012 03:30 am at 3:30 am |

Adam

Does anyone else remember when kid rock said he wasn't smart enough to get involved with the Napster lawsuit? Yet now he is lead spokesmen for the Romney campaign.

October 24, 2012 03:43 am at 3:43 am |

The Other Dale

Yes, super-charged Independents to move to Obama, while Republicans are super-charged to stayed at home on Election Day and cry a lot.